Matt Rhule Uncertain About What to Expect from Wisconsin’s Offense This Week
The Wisconsin Badgers’ offense remains shrouded in uncertainty heading into this week’s matchup against Nebraska. Wisconsin made a significant coaching change this week, firing offensive coordinator Phil Longo, leaving questions about how the offense will be run. With little clarity on who will be calling the plays, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule is unsure of what to expect from the Badgers.
When asked about the play-calling situation earlier this week, Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell dismissed the question, saying, “Why does it matter?” It seems that the offensive duties will be shared in a collaborative effort, but Rhule is preparing for any possibility.
Rhule expressed respect for Longo’s game plan from last season, noting that it was the most effective against his defense. “I thought last year, Phil Longo had the best gameplan against our defense of anyone we faced, we often refer to it. I’ll say like, hey, it’s the Wisconsin gameplan where people do elements of it—things they did last year,” Rhule said. With Longo gone, Rhule admitted there’s a level of unpredictability regarding what the Badgers’ offense will look like.
Kenny Guiton, the wide receivers coach, was appointed interim quarterbacks coach, but Fickell has indicated that play-calling will likely be a team effort. Fickell even alluded to past experience calling plays in middle school, adding another layer of ambiguity to the situation.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Wisconsin’s offense, Rhule acknowledged that the Badgers’ identity remains intact. “Obviously, Coach Fickell is a great head coach. You know they’re going to play great defense, they want to run the football, they want to take shots downfield. We kind of have a general idea of who they are and what they want to do,” Rhule said. “You have a whole element now that you have to prepare for, so I think the best thing we can do is focus on ourselves.”
Nebraska has had its own offensive struggles this season, recently making a change in its own coaching staff. Former West Virginia and Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen stepped in to call the Cornhuskers’ offense, replacing Marcus Satterfield as offensive coordinator.
With both teams coming off losing streaks—Nebraska having dropped four straight and Wisconsin losing three—Saturday’s game carries significant weight. Both teams are desperately seeking their sixth win to become bowl eligible, adding extra pressure as they face the unknowns surrounding each other’s offenses.
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